


Ink

by nhasablog



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Back tickles, Fluff, M/M, Tickling, Ticklish Ronan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-14 12:55:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7172633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nhasablog/pseuds/nhasablog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Your hand,” Ronan pointed to where Adam’s hand was resting against his shoulder. “It keeps returning to the back of my neck.”</p>
<p>Adam hadn’t noticed that he’d been doing it, but he instantly knew why it was happening. “It’s your tattoo,” he admitted. “I keep getting this urge to touch it.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ink

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on my [tumblr](http://nhasablog.tumblr.com)

Adam, while having questioned it and raised his eyebrows at it countless of times, had always been fascinated by Ronan’s tattoo. The dark lines and shapes covering his entire back seemed like such a Ronan thing to have, but after finding out about him Adam had often wondered if the tattoo had been taken from a dream or if Ronan actually had gone to a real tattoo shop to get it. Maybe it didn’t matter. It was an act of rebellion, and Adam expected nothing less from Ronan Lynch.

Of course, he’d noticed lately that Ronan had a tendency to do the unexpected. A secret smile, a secret touch, a secret kiss. Maybe he needed to stop expecting things, because trying to read Ronan wasn’t exactly that simple. Whatever you thought you saw could end up being something completely else.

But Adam knew what Ronan’s hesitating hands and timid gaze meant. He knew what his tense stance and half-glare longed for, so he didn’t feel like he was crossing a line when he leaned in a second time to press their lips together. Ronan balled up his fists against his shirt, and Adam started steering them away from the front porch and back inside.

Staying was optional, but it was the easiest choice Adam had ever made. The night seemed different from the rooms of the Barns. More quiet in a way. The ruffle of leaves and occasional chirping of birds had a magic to them that could only be compared to the paths of Cabeswater. Henrietta was a place of wonder, but the Barns was the most fantastic place one could find without having to look for it.

Adam didn’t know if it was because of his surroundings or because of the ease on Ronan’s face, but he felt more relaxed than he had in ages. It was funny. The world was crashing down around them and yet Adam felt like he was finally able to rest.

“Do you have an obsession with my neck?” Ronan asked, his usual snark almost completely gone from his voice.

“What?”

“Your hand,” Ronan pointed to where Adam’s hand was resting against his shoulder. “It keeps returning to the back of my neck.”

Adam hadn’t noticed that he’d been doing it, but he instantly knew why it was happening. “It’s your tattoo,” he admitted. “I keep getting this urge to touch it.”

“It doesn’t feel any different than the rest of me.”

“I know.”

But Ronan turned to lie on his stomach anyway, his arms coming up to rest under his pillow. Any non-inked skin on his back was pretty much nonexistent. Instead Adam was greeted by the sight of his enormous tattoo; the lines forming an image that almost left him breathless. If the tattoo could speak it would scream Ronan’s name. Adam had grown to associate Ronan’s name as something good in his life.

He reached out, but hesitated halfway, his hand hovering in the air inches above Ronan’s skin. Ronan, who had his head turned so he could look at him, raised an eyebrow.

“What are you waiting for?”

“For you to slap my hand away and tell me you were joking.”

“I’d never do that.”

The disguised invitation was the last push Adam needed. He made his hand move the last bit and grazed his fingertips against soft skin within seconds. He hadn’t expected Ronan to be lying, but was still surprised to find that it felt like a back would usually feel like. Whatever scars the needle had left were now only visible as shapes that had melted into the skin. It was now a part of Ronan, so of course it didn’t feel any differently.

But Adam still felt his heart beat faster as his hand travelled this way and that. Whether he could feel the tattoo or not, this was still Ronan’s bare skin under his fingers. That was Ronan Lynch trusting him in a vulnerable state.

The moment Ronan closed his eyes Adam vowed to try to not screw this up. Whatever this was.

As he ran his hand over the smooth skin and relaxed muscles, it took him a moment to realize that Ronan was enjoying this. He wasn’t very surprised. A lot of people enjoyed back tickles. He had personally never gotten to fully experience them due to his family situation, but he knew how good it could feel from the brief times someone had brushed their hand over any part of his back. He _was_ surprised by the fact that Ronan displayed this delight so easily however.

“You like this,” he said. It wasn’t a question nor an accusation, but merely an observation.

Ronan heard nothing in his voice that told him to defend himself, so he replied with a slurred, “Don’t you dare stop now.”

So Adam kept going; taking his time to selfishly memorize the dips and curves under his hand until it felt like his arm would fall off. Not wanting to see Ronan’s peacefulness vanish so quickly - nor his own opportunity to keep touching and touching and touching - Adam simply switched hands and let his less coordinated one take the fallen one’s place. While it wasn’t as pleasing for him he still made his other hand learn the feeling of Ronan’s back just like his first one. If he thought he’d had an obsession earlier it was nothing compared to how good it felt now.

Ronan had to flinch three times before Adam understood what it meant. In the midst of Adam’s hand exploring he found himself occasionally straying downwards, feeling the dip of Ronan’s lower back. If Adam didn’t share this particular trait with him - something he’d only realized because Blue had once put her hand there using slightly too little pressure - Adam might not have realized what was happening. But as he took in how Ronan’s eyes were now wide open, his body tenser than before, and his gaze on the wall on the other side of the room he knew exactly why Ronan kept flinching, so naturally he dragged his fingertips over the small of his back in an even lighter manner, which resulted in an even greater flinch. Ronan’s eyes flew to Adam.

“What’s wrong?” he asked innocently, not entirely sure if he was crossing a line or not.

“Nothing,” Ronan snapped, his eye narrowing at him. “Just…”

“Just?”

“Nothing,” Ronan repeated, and Adam knew the conversation was over. He tried to keep his grin at bay when Ronan started squirming the moment he began moving his hand again.

“You know,” he said nonchalantly. “If I didn’t know better I’d say you’re ticklish.”

That did it. Ronan was sitting up in an instant, forcing Adam’s hands to retreat. They weren’t left alone for long however, because Ronan grabbed his wrists easily and tugged him closer. For a second Adam thought Ronan was going to retaliate, but he realized he was wrong when their lips collided once more. This was still so new, and yet Adam found his body react in a familiar way. As if he’d been kissing Ronan for years instead of hours.

“You didn’t deny it,” Adam said once they’d pulled apart for air.

Ronan fixed him with a look that could once have been cold, but now simply edged on impatient. “I don’t lie.”

“I now know how to keep you in line then.” Adam sent him a lopsided grin. “This is very valuable information to have.”

He might’ve been able to evade it the first time, but Ronan barely had to move before he had Adam writhing and laughing under his fingers on the bed. Adam was completely at his mercy and didn’t mind it at all.


End file.
